Wormtown Weekend

It starts tonight.
Ralph's has a Surf Garage Rock Party with The Preston Wayne Four, The Time Beings, The Spytones, and Tsunami of Sound. You can't get any better than that. Worcester's own Preston Wayne, double shot of screaming guitar work. Skip work tomorrow, it's worth it.
Friday at still at Ralph's, Township, Mike Z's favorite new band, Switchblade Suicide, Musclecah, and The Paraplegics rock the joint.
Also on Friday, Mack the Knife are over at The Raven with a bunch of bands I've never heard of. But don't let that stop you. What do I know?
On Saturday, Jagfest over at The Lucky Dog features Bottlefight and many more bands starting early at 8pm.
There's all the real rock n roll you'll need this week. Play safe!

Wormtown Saturday Night

This is where it's at.

The debut of The Amoebas!



Then over to Ralph's!



Oh Yeah!



This is why we're here.
Rock n Roll in Wormtown!
See more here!!

Selling of Wormtown??

You may have seen Worcester Mag last week's article of The Selling of Worcester. It took a look at the different organizations and slogans over the years used to market Worcester to the rest of the world. Of course they overlooked one of the longest running, most well known entities ever launched, Wormtown.
Over the past 30 plus years, that's exactly what I have been doing, whether you want to believe that or not. If it wasn't for the City of Worcester, there would be no reason for Wormtown. I have done my best through writing, radio, and now blogging to get people excited about the music and talent in our own backyard, to attract people to get out and support it in the clubs, stores and any other outlet you can.
Didn't cost anyone a dime for that promo. But yet, the powers that be still write it off as derogatory and unimportant. Unless it's for there own benefit.
So take a look here at my unscientific experiment with Google, to see which concept was the most successful.

First the organizations...Please click to view the numbers returned on the search.

Chose Worcester: 2,220,000


Destination Worcester: 638,000

Cultural Commission: 387,000

Convention Bureau: 314,000

Worcester Wormtown: 131,000

Chamber of Commerce: 48,000


And the Slogans....
Heart of the Commonwealth: 8,230,000

Wormtown: 36,000

City on the Move: 9430

Moving in the Right Direction: 1810

City That Moves: 827


Unbelievable as it may seem, Wormtown scored higher than the Chamber of Commerce in the organizations category, and beat all but "Heart of the Commonwealth" in the slogan category.
Let's see how long it takes for them to capitalize on it. City Square just may be renamed Wormtown Place.

Wormtown Weekend Update

Just found out last night, Artie and the Amoebas, a new group featuring Artie Sneiderman of the Crybabies, Brian Martin of Muck and the Mires, Jay Holdash and Paul Richard formally of The Fearless Leaders, and Joe Terrasi debut at The Sahara on Highland St. at 9:30pm opening for Worcester's own Red Riders. I didn't even know these guys formed group. I saw them play a a Christmas party last year, and I guess they liked what they heard and decided to make a go of it. So, why not stop in on your way to the show at Ralph's!

New Worm Bros Show

Just in time for your weekend.
We haven't done a show in 2 months, so it' a doozy.
Live sets from The Numbskulls, Mack the Knife and The Guns of Navarone.
Plus it was Jeff's Birthday.
Listen NOW and enjoy!

Wormtown Weekend

It's the weekend already? Time flies. I haven't posted here all week. But now, it's time to rock.
Friday at The Raven on Pleasant St,Musclecah and/or Bottlefight open up the night for Fear the State, and Demons Alley. The flier says it's Bottlefight, but they are both listed on their pages as playing. Only way to find out is to attend and get your ears blown off either way.
Saturday, it's another punky reggae party at Ralph's with Guns of Navarone, The Numbskulls, and Slitstich. The 'Skulls are busy working on their next full length release, and should be in top form and playing some choice cuts from that project. The Guns are the energizer bunnies of Wormtown who seem never to rest playing every week somewhere. Last time I saw them they were tighter than Kevin Smith in an airline seat playing ska and rock-steady beats. Slitstich, who have been a little quiet so far this year, are there to wind the crowd up into a frenzy. A triple header that is not to be missed.
No excuse to stay home this week. Wormtown Rocks away this long cold winter.
See that? I used "Wormtown Rocks". Now, where have I heard that lately?
I'm looking at you, WAM!

Wormtown Weekend

Valentine's Day/Presidents Day weekend is here! And you know what that means. It's time to rock your love and spend Dead Presidents!
There's a 2 day rock showcase called "Get You Rock On 2010" presented by 220 Productions from Ohio and One Eye Management out of Tennessee, (????) at Ralph's with over 15 bands playing. I tried to look up any local press on this, but found nothing. If it's anything like GYRO 2009, this should be, well, I don't know. Never heard of it before. And with no advance press, it's kinda hard to figure out.
I know Huck, and they're playing benefit for playgrounds at The Lucky Dog on Friday.
That sounds like a good cause. Who doesn't like playgrounds. That's where you learn life's early lessons.
Saturday in The Ship Room at The Hotel Vernon, there's The Valentines Day Cabaret Benefit for Central Mass Roller Derby with James Keyes, Mack the Knife, Helen Sheldon Beaumont and The Throttles, which include Cheryl Crane I believe, and others. That sounds like fun, too. Who doesn't like Roller Derby. Women who could kick your ass. Another one of life's lessons.
Also on Saturday its the hugely popular Green Street Music Series at The Lucky Dog featuring the hits of Bowie, Queen and Elton, if that's your bag. Always a sellout.
So go show your love for Wormtown this week. Buy some candy.

Rat Fink

Growing up, this was the coolest of cool. Big Daddy Ed Roth, creator of custom Hot Rods and key to southern California culture of rock n roll, beaches, and groovy cats, had a mascot named Rat Fink. He called it his anti Mickey Mouse. Through the mail you could get his t-shirts, figures and most important, model cars to build that were out of this world. When I was 16, I took a trip to Florida with a friend and his family. We visited the Rat's Hole Shop In Daytona Beach. Here is the brochure from there I recently dug up.

V66 : Life on the V

Hey, remember back in 1985 when an all music video station premiered on the UHF band to rival MTV? Yeah? I thought at the time it was great. I didn't have cable then and was missing out on the new explosion of video music that was taking over the world. You could watch all the new artists of the day, but right along with them were some of the Boston areas top bands in rotation.
If you were a fan, you can relive those glory days of your youth this Thursday at The House of Blues in Boston where there will be a reunion of sorts celebrating the station and also raising the money necessary to complete a documentary entitled "Life on The V". Some of the old bands are getting back together to play, along with former members of The Atlantics, one of my faves. Check the flier, watch the video, and enjoy the party.



Boston Phoenix article

Wormtown Weekend

A full line up this week, starting tonight.
Mack the Knife, Wormtown's newest Ska/Rock band are at Tammany Hall, my old hangout from years ago.
Friday at The Lucky Dog, there is a benefit for the earthquake victims of Haiti. Please go and help out those poor souls who already had a tough life and now are devastated by one of the worst natural disasters of our lifetime. See the flier for the line up.
Saturday, Bottlefight are at London Billiards Club Oasis. Always a great time when these guys leave Athol to rock in Wormtown. Put on your shitkickers and fuck some shit up!